Combining durability, good mechanical properties, hygiene and ease of maintenance, the stainless steel has nowadays become the reference material in numerous fields such as the car industry, the consumer goods industry, the heavy industry, microtechnology and electronics.
In a general manner, the preparation of the finished product requires at least one forming operation, for example a stamping for flat products. The field in which a metal is deformed with neither striction nor breakup largely depends on the performances of the used lubricant.
However, the use of usual stamping oils poses increasing problems. First of all, the oils, in particular the most performing oils, are not always easy to implement. Their viscosity may cause application difficulties and the amount required to cover the substrate may be substantial. Moreover, the use of these oils requires a meticulous cleaning of the sheet metal as well as the tools and the workstation. Finally, the retreatment of these oils after use poses serious environmental problems, especially when these consist of chlorinated or sulfurized oils.
Furthermore, these lubricants do not always provide the required performance, which may cause substantial costs. Indeed, an insufficient lubrication increases the number of disposals of shaped products. This may also increase the number of maintenance interventions (rectifications, polishing, . . . ) and therefore their wearing. In this respect, the chlorinated or sulfurized oils are the most satisfactory ones. But, it has been seen that they pose environmental problems which may become prohibitive given the possible regulatory evolutions.